Catamaran type sailboats are well-known sailing vessels that by definition consist of a horizontal deck mounted on a pair of parallel hulls. The hulls are usually placed on opposite sides of the deck to provide a relatively stable craft. The use of the two hulls, spread apart, reduces the overall weight of the craft, thus increasing the overall speed.
The width of each hull is usually very narrow to reduce the amount of drag on the craft, again increasing the speed of the craft. The sails that propel the catamaran usually provide ample power to move the catamaran on any body of water such as a pond, lake, river or ocean.
Most catamarans are constructed as a three-piece unit with at least two tubular crossbeams that can be readily assembled by the user just prior to use. These crossbeams connect the two hulls above the waterline and the deck sits between the hulls on the crossbeams. While some larger catamarans are constructed in a unitary fashion, i.e., the deck is permanently fastened to the hulls, most catamarans are recreational vessels that are required to be transported to the place of use on the tops of automobiles, vans and the like. This generally requires the user to assemble the craft when he reaches his destination and then to disassemble the craft when finished.
The design of the catamaran permits its user to sit or stand on the deck while manipulating the sail with his hands. Generally, steering is accomplished by maneuvering the sail with the direction of the wind to propel the craft to the desired location. Most catamarans are also equipped with rudders or pivoting hull portions (herein "rudders") located at the stern of both of the hulls to aid in steering the craft. Generally, when one wished to make a slight maneuver with the catamaran, one merely turns a tiller or control element attached to both rudders to move the rudders in the proper direction. However, when a sharp and sudden turn is required, one must usually properly position the sail with the wind and simultaneously turn the rudders to accomplish a successful sharp turn. This type of turn requires substantial skill in order to do these steps simultaneously. A mistake on the part of the sailor can result in the catamaran flipping over.
In order to provide greater stability to the catamaran, another device, namely a daggerboard, centerboard or keel, is placed beneath the middle of each hull where it extends vertically down into the water to help prevent the catamaran from slipping sideways. The daggerboard, centerboard or keel is a long, flat board, which is placed with its broad surface parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hulls of the craft. The daggerboard, centerboard or keels are thus useful in reducing drift induced by the wind and sail interaction. The daggerboard, centerboard, or keels are also helpful in "anchoring" the middle of the catamaran when making sharp turns. Without the centerboard, the catamaran is susceptible to so much lateral movement that the craft cannot be tacked upwind under extreme conditions.
It is important to note that catamarans typically utilize fixed rigging with masts tied to both hulls. As a result, catamarans tip to one side when sailed and are frequently sailed with one hull out of the water. This tilted attitude thus requires that each hull be equipped with a rudder and daggerboard, centerboard or keel.
Of particular concern are catamarans with rigging that can be adjusted to allow both hulls to remain in the water essentially without tipping to the side, and therefore, only one daggerboard, centerboard or keel between the hulls is required.
One of the major drawbacks in prior art catamarans is the difficulty in steering the craft. Generally, on larger sized catamarans, steering requires considerable sailing skills and expertise on the part of the user. This can be a serious drawback to the novice or intermediate sailor who lacks most of these necessary skills. The major problem in steering the catamaran is that the sailor usually has to use both hands to work the sail yet needs another hand to turn the tiller. On larger sized catamarans, the sail can be so difficult to manage that two people would be required to maneuver the boat: one to handle the sail and the other to steer the rudder. This can cause obvious problems to the user who wishes to sail alone.
The drawbacks in steering the catamaran are heightened if the user wishes to stand on the deck of the catamaran and sail the vessel much like a sailboard. Since a catamaran cannot be steered by shifting body weight and the sail, as can be done with a sailboard, a specific steering mechanism would be needed. Steering a rudder on each hull through a typical tiller or control element would be difficult since the user's hands would remain on the sail rigging during use. Therefore, another person would have to steer the rudders while the other person holds the sail. Therefore, there is a need for a new device that permits the user to simultaneously turn the rudders while holding the sail.